Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, John Swinney previously accused the UK government of "an anti-Scottish move"
- Published25 minutes ago
First Minister John Swinney has dismissed any suggestion he is prioritising political point scoring over national security after calling for Labour ministers to reconsider a Chinese firm's plan to build a wind turbine factory in the Highlands.
Ming Yang's proposed £1.5bn plant at Ardersier, near Nairn, was blocked by the UK government, citing unspecified national security concerns.
Swinney said he wanted Prime Minister Andy Burnham to re-examine the scheme to see if the concerns could be overcome.
It came after UK Energy Security Minister Michael Shanks accused the first minister of making a "political intervention against the country's national security".
He told BBC Radio Scotland Breakfast it was "surprising" that Swinney was calling for the Ming Yang plan to be reconsidered since he had received a national security briefing about the plan.
Ming Yang has described the UK government's decision - on what would have been the UK's largest wind turbine factory - as a "significant missed opportunity", saying it could have supported up to 1,500 jobs.
It said it would continue to engage constructively with the UK government, including "on the important topic of national security".
Responding to criticism from Shanks, Swinney acknowledged there were national security concerns.
However, he insisted he was taking an "intensely responsible approach by asking for a further examination of whether there are opportunities to take forward that development".
The first minister told the BBC that the factory would benefit everyone in Scotland and support the government's net-zero energy goals.
Asked if he was putting political point scoring ahead of national security, Swinney said he wanted the new prime minister to re-examine the proposals to ensure there was "no stone left unturned" to see if it could go ahead.
Image source, HaventusImage caption, Ardersier, near Nairn, is the proposed site for the factory
Ming Yang's plan was rejected by the UK government in March after ministers said they had to ensure it was "safe and secure".
The government also said the turbines from the factory would not be suitable for UK offshore wind projects and it could not support their use.
At the time, then Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes criticised "dithering" on the decision but said national security was important and must be respected.
She added that it was "regrettable" the UK government had not explained its decision to Ming Yang.
In April, Swinney accused the UK government of "an anti-Scottish move", adding that Labour ministers were "welcoming Chinese investment into Hinkley power station south of the border".
He has since written to Burnham, urging him to reconsider the proposal.
'National security implications'
Shanks, speaking to BBC Radio Scotland Breakfast, said he had arranged for Swinney to have a security briefing following his comments in April.
He said it was therefore "surprising" that "having had that security briefing" the first minister was continuing to pursue the matter.
The Scottish Labour MP told the programme: "I think it is for him [Swinney] to answer why he is balancing what seems to be a political intervention against the country's national security.
"I think it is irresponsible for the first minister to do that."
He added: "There is no inherent reason why the UK government would not want to see jobs created in the north of Scotland either, so I hope people would take it on face value when I say there are national security implications.
"That is a legitimate reason for us to say no to a particular investment."
Ardersier is a former oil and gas fabrication yard which at its peak employed about 4,500 people, before closing in 2001 as demand dropped.
The 450-acre (182ha) site is currently being redeveloped and forms part of the Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Freeport.
Analysis: Has Swinney been shown a 'smoking gun'?
ByDavid Wallace LockhartScotland political correspondent
Why did the UK government not want the project at Ardersier to go ahead? Well, that's classified.
We know it had something to do with security concerns, but beyond that broad explanation it's difficult to know what the specific red flags were.
Michael Shanks seemed to suggest that John Swinney knows fine well why this project can't proceed.
But my understanding is that while the Scottish government doesn't dispute that the first minister got a security briefing, they feel this was more about general concerns around China, not the particulars around Ardersier.
Their view is that they haven't been shown a smoking gun, and therefore they want Andy Burnham to see if it's possible to overcome any security concerns he has.
Comparisons have been made with the Chinese super embassy in London, where the UK government said risks could be managed.
It seems to be the position of UK ministers that mitigation isn't possible in this scenario. And they seem to be insisting that John Swinney has all the information he needs to appreciate this.
